Gas-reservoir.



K. JAGSCHITZ.

GAS RESERVOIR. APPLICATION FILED JULY 31.1914.

1,275,696. Patented Aug. 13, 1918.

4 SHEETS-SHEET I- W m m K. lAGSCH-ITZ.

GAS RESERVOIR. APPLICATION FILED JULYSI. I914.

Patented Aug. 13, 1918.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2- K. JAGSCHITZ.

GAS RESERVOIR.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 31.1914.

Fwbented Aug. 13, 11918.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3- K. JAGSCHITZ.

GAS RESERVOIR.. APPLICATION FILED Jun/31. 19m,

I 4 SHIEETS-SHEET 4- WM 6 ss: $174M 51/141164;

Patented Mg, 13, mm.

To all whom it concern;

nonnan museums, or Marita, enniuaivr, assrenron 'ro r/rasonrnnn'rnrn and.3

ennm l .1

i erates.

.Beit known that T, Konnan JAcscHirz, a subject of the Emperor ofAustria, and resident of No. 27 Weintorstrasse, at Mainz,- Germany, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Gas-Reservoirs, of

which the'following is a specification.

My invention relates to storage reservoirs for gas and the like in whichan adjustable closure. is -utilized to seal the reservoir against theatmosphere. The type of closure almost exclusively used at thepresenttime necessitates. the employment of a bell arranged to dip'intoa water basin containing a supply of water and thus prevent the escapeof the gases. This type of closure has; two very material disadvantages;first it makes it necessary to inclose the supply of sealingv fluidthroughout its entire height with double walls,'that is the side wall ofthe bell and the wall of the basin; second owing to the pressure of thesealing fluid which exists in such constructions the basin wall must bemade very heavy and strong. These two disadvantages have resulted in.attempts to use what might be termed dry seals in which the use of asealing fluid is obviated for the purpose of doing away'with thehighvfluid pressure and, the consequent necessity for the double wallsabove mentioned. In actual practice up to the present it has been foundimpossible-to satlstacto- 'rily make use" of such dry seals because thesame'are unreliable and owing to the fact that they quickly wear awaymust be continuously and minutely watched to prevent leakageoflgas",which watching operation is diflicult'of satisfactory performance onaccountof the arrangement and location of suchseals; I 4 The resentinventlon has for its obJect to provide a, structure including a fluidseal in which-the necessity .for the double walls and the relativelylarge supply of sealing ing devices; .v

fluid is entirely avoided Without sacrificin 7 "any 'ofithe advanta e'sjorincurring any 0 the disadvantagesio existing types of seal- Vfarrangement a sniall space exlsts between My improvements further.contemplates using the adjustable closure or sealing disk temporarily as'a' working scaffold when erecting the reservoir and after the oomph-Qtion of the same-toarrange said disk as a closingorsealing diu I .Figs.17 V and horlzontalsectlons of another form of reservoir construction.

e-n'ttnnnnne; a. men nunivnnne, e-nniuan'r, a conro'rroiv or IGAS-FESERVUIJEI. i l

Other objects of my invention will appear from the descriptionhereinafter and the "features of novelty will be pointed out in theappended claims.

including an example of my improvement;

Figs. 2, 3, 4:, 5, 6., 7 and 8 are detail sections showingdiiierent'forms of the same; Fig. 9' 1s a view similar to Fig. l efstill another grammatic plan view thereof partly in section; Figs. 11.and '12 are detail views respectively in vertical and horizontal sectionof a method of connecting the reservoir plates; Fig. 13 is averticalsection of'a telescopic reservoir with my improvement ap-Specification of Letters Patent. Pmtrgntaedl Aim T3, TQTF.

- Application filed July 31, 19M. Serial No. t54l,24t3.

.variation of my invention; Fig. 10 is a diaplied thereto; Fig. 14: is aview similar to Fig.1 of still another arrangement; Fig. 15

is a'view of the formshowminFig; 1a

showing the adjustableclosure or sealing I disk in temporary use as aworking scaffold; Fig. 16 is a similar. viewgof another arrangement forthe same purplose; and I and 18 are diagrammatic vertical As illustratedin the drawings my im- 'provement consists in providing a disk shapedclosure vertically movable withina reservoir as the volume of gas in thelatter changes, and provided throughoutits periphery with a. fluid sealin engagement w1th the inner surface of the reservoir. The fluid seal iscarried: by and movable with v;s'aid disk shaped closure and is of,comparatively small height and volume and thus does not exert anyappreciable pressure on the -reservoir wall which in consequence may berela- 'tivelylight, and thinin'construction. This is incontradlstinction to the fluid seal in present constructions; which mustcorrespondv in height to the height of the customary bell in order towork properly and consequently. must. exert a heavy pressure on thesurrounding walls. With the present escaping fluid, in my. improvement,is col- I lected in any suitable manner at the bottom I sequentlyreduced to a mimmum; The reservoir itself may be constructed of anysuitable material' as for instance thin metallic plates, masonry or acombination-of both or of concrete, ferro concrete with or without metalcovering or any bther suitable substance.

Referring more particularly to Fig. 1 of the drawin s a. is thereservoir in whlch the disk shaped closure 7) is vertically movable asthe volume of gas therein increases or decreases. The periphery of'saidclosure 6 is shaped to form a trough b slidable lengthwise of the innersurface of the reservoir and contamlng the seallng fluid 72, arranged toengage said inner surface and by means of whlch the reservoir is at alltimes sealed against the atmosphere. Whatever sealing fluid 72. tricklesthrough the space d between be collected in the trough b and the wall ofthe reservoir'a flows downwardly along said wall and may the annularchannel 9 located at the bottom of said reservoir. From I the channel 9this fluid may be pumped back varies in proportion to the or raised bymeans of the pump 9 into an annular channel .2 located at the upper edgeof the reservoir from: which it may be conducted back to the trough b inany suitable and convenient manner. The closure 2) is further providedwith 9. depending annular flange ;0 adapted, in the lowermost positionof the said contained in the channel 9 and thus properly seal-thereservoir when the latter is substantially empty.

The height of the fluid h in the trough 6 gas .pressure which ispresent. If it is desired to maintain the flow of fluid through thespace d as low as possible it is preferable to arrange the height of thefluid h sothat the bottom pressure thereof is only slightlygreater thanthe gas pressure, less the adhesive efi'ectof I said fluid in the space42. In order to pro back to the trou h b erly regulate the quantity ofsealing fluid which periodically flows or is conducted height of saiduidI-in said trough b at a sub tantially fixed point a float It may bearranged in the fluid 72. in the well known manner as shown in Fig. 2for the purpose of actuating the valve 1- which controls the flow of thefluid back to the said trough b.

pistons. In Fig. 4 the peripheral wall of the trough closure, to extendinto the fluid and thus maintain the In order to decrease the fluid lossthrough the space (1 as much as possible any variety of devicesmaybeutilized some of which are illustrated in Figs. 3 to 8 inclusive.In the form shown in Fig. 3 preferably circumferential sealing strips 6in sliding engagement with the inner surface of the reservoir 0 andcarried by the trough b are employed, said strips 6 consistin of jute orany other suitable sealing or pac ing material, such as used forinstance in connection with disk 6 is arranged obliquely to thereservoir wall and annular sealing rolls 8 are located in the spacebetween said peripheral wall and the reservoir wall. These rolls 8cooperating with the oblique wall of the trough b are firmly pressedagainst the reservoir wall to seal the space d either by their own weiht or gravity, by the pressure of the flui It exerted thereon or by'means of suitably arranged springs.

In the arrangement shown in Figs. 5 and 6 the trough b is omitted fromthe closure 7) and the lower ortion of the latter is inclined downwardlytoward the reservoir wall as indicated at N. A series of approximatelywedge shaped members y are arranged end to end to form a completeannular member and are slidable on said inclined portion intofirmengagement with the reservoir wall. These slide members 3 aredisplaceable or movable relatively to each other and thus automaticallyadjust themselves to all variations or inequalities in the form of thereservoir wall and thereby reduce the space 0? to a minimum at all timeseven during the actuation of the closure 6. In order to still furtherreduce the fluid loss through the space d the members 1 may be providedwith circumferentially or lengthwise extending grooves 2 communicatingwith the fluid h by means of channels 2 whereby an additional fluid sealis formed in the said grooves e. The rear or inner surfaces of themembers 1 may be smooth or also provided with grooves or if desired maybe are as well as the rolls 8 above mentioned may be made of metal'orany other material suited or convexed. The said members 1 able for theintended purposes. The pressure exerted upon the upper surfaces 0 makesit certain that the members g will at all times produce a maximumsealing effect.

In Figs. 7 and 8 the members 3 and 3 corresponding to the members y arein the nature of upward open troughs of metal or any other suita 1ematerial having substantially a wedge shape in cross-section.

The members 3 as shown in Fig. 7 are provided with sealin projections orstrips 4 extending circum erentially thereof and arranged to engage thewall of the reservoir (1.

If desired packing strips of felt, jute,

arness,

leather, metal net strips or othermetallic packings may be introducedbetween the lower projections y and the wall of the res ervoii a In theforni shown inFig. 8 the members if aremade with smooth outer surfaces,the projections or stripsy being omitted. In both forms .the members 3and g are connected with the closure In by means of resilient supports3/ which exert a pressure on said members y and '3 in a direction toaugment the pressure of the sealing fluid it and which also preventsaid-members 3/.

- and y from being raised to any substantial Q extent. UtherWise theconstruction of the closure and the operation and arrangement of thesemembers y and y may be the same as closure 1) andthe members y of Fig.5.

The obliqueperipheral. wall of the trough 'b. in Fi l and the inclinedportions h of Figs. and 8 together with the Wall of the reservoir a formannular channels substantially wedge-shaped in cross-section as will bereadily apparent from an inspection f of these flgures.

The present invention is equally well adapted to reservoirs with orwithouta roof.

If the reservoir is open and without a roof someprov'ision must be madefor causing the de osits collected an the closure t to flow ofl, anywell known drainage devices being adopted for this purpose, as shownbyway of example in Figs. 1 and 13. 1

Figs 9 and 10 illustrate a reservoir cone struct'ed of flangedplates'and covered by a roof, the bottom of said reservoir being raisedso that-the, space beneath the same may be used for any: desiredpurpose. In a the arrangement now being described the re ceiving channel'z" corresponding to the chan nel 13 instead of'being' located at theupper edge of the reservoir ais located on and carried by the closure 6,and is connected with .the pump 9 by means of tubing or pipingg" tillalong special strengthening rails to". ln'

movements of the channel a" my invention the closure 6 is guided in itsthe free end portion of which is preferably flexibly arranged so as toreadily follow the ln this formof vertical movement by means of rollersIt and 2 arranged in pairs one over the other and mounted on supportscarried by the closure 7). The rollers la and Z may travel directlyalong the inner surface of the plates w .or

the highest position of the closure 6 the upper rollers la extend intoroof extensions a so that it is unnecessary to makethe reservoir wallany higher than actually required to produce a reservoir havin thedesired gas capacity. Ventilation of l e interior of thereservoir may besecured by providing proper roof-extensions afi which at the ram timemay serve to accommodate the pi ing or tubing 9 in the highest positionof the closure 5. Fig. 10 clearly illustrates the employment of inwardlyor outwardly arched plates for the reservoir wall and how, bycorrespondingly shaping the sealing members y y or 9/ an eflejctive sealmay be secured.

In Figs. 11. and 12 an advantageous connecting arrangement for theindividual plates comprising the reservoir wall is a diagrammaticallyillustrated in vertical and horizontal section respectively. Tn thearrangement shown each plate wis provided with outwardly andhorizontally extending flanges as which stiflen and strengthen thestructure and which are adapted to be connected together to secure thesaid plates in the form of the complete reservoir. The verticalconnections between the plate w oomprise connecting plates or members wextending throughout the reservoir a and secured in position by railswhich may correspond to the strengthening rails to hereinbeforementioned and be used as guide rails for .the rollers and Zto travel on.v

. In Fig. 13 l have illustrated the present invention applied totelescopic reservoirs. Tn this arrangement the sections 'w composing thereservoir are each provided at one end with a trough w similar to thetrough b and likewise containing the sealin fluid hand at the other endare provide with annular hooked flanges 'vadapted to project into thefluid h in each trough tut as the reservoir sections are fullyextendedand thus efl'ectively seal the reservoir at these points.v Inthe folded or in any intermediate position of the sections the sealingfluid It performs its sealing functions in the same manner as describedwith regard to Fig. 1. The closuret used with this form of reservoir maybe substantially the same and operate the same as in said Fig. l, withthe addition that the trough h thereof is also adapted to receive thehoolred flange o of the innermost section '21: when the closure b is inits highest posi-- -.sure .b is provided with a rigid upright guidingcolumn m preferably constructed of metal and arranged to travel betweenguide rollers a and ojournaled on the rafters or other suitable portionsof the reservoir roof.

As shown in Fig. 15 the closure 6 of Fig. 14 may be utilizedpreliminarily and temporarily'as a working scaflold for the purpose oferecting the reservoir about the sameand after completion of saidreservoir isreadily adapted for its intended sealing purposes. Incarrying out-this plan a lattice column llh - be employed as a mediumfor raising and m is first temporarily erected and anchored at thebottom and if desired or found necessary also at the top by means ofropes, cables or the like. Upon this column m the skeleton of theclosure 3) is mounted and pro vided with guide rollers '11. and 0temporarily secured in position and whereby said. skeleton is guided inits vertical movements along the column m. A suitable tackle F isconnected with the closure Z) and with the column m and serves to raisethe skeleton of said closure 6 as the Work of erecting the surroundinreservoir wall proceeds, the said skeleton being meanwhile employed as ascaffold or platform for the accommodation of theworkman and necessarytools. This arrangement has the additional advantage that the Wall ofthe reservoir may be constructed to accurately and properly fit aboutthe closure 7) and any and every inaccuracy in the form thereof, so thatthe space at and the play in the seal, at all levels or heights is assmall as possible.

Furthermore in the highest position of the closure 6 after the reservoirhas been built up to the desired height the guide structure a andthesupports for the rollers-n and o as well as the roof if one is to beused may be easily placed in position and'construeted. In like mannerthebottom 9 may be constructed by loosely suspending the gilates composingthe same upon the closure and then riveting said plates together afterwhich the completed bottom may be properly positioned upon thefoundation masonryby lowering the closure 1) and then re leasing thebottom from the closure and again raising the latter out of the wayAfter the closure hasservedits purpose as a scaffold the column m isreleased and secured to the closure and becomes the guide column m ofFig. 14 while the rollers n and o are disconnected from the closure 6and mounted in the supports on the roof and thus become the guiderollers 11. and 0 of Fig. 1 After the tackle F and its cooperating partshave been disconnected and removed the structure is complete and readyfor its intended uses.

In Fig. 16 the closure 1) is guided along the reservoir walls by meansof rollers 42 and 0 and may be initially used in a similar manner as anerection scaffold by providing the tackle F and attaching the same to tlupper ends of wall parts a, or if desirer a temporary lattice mastorderrick m, hydraulic pressure or any other means lowering the closureduring its temporary use as a scaffold. In this form also the closure isfinally adapted for its intended purposes by removing the tackle F orother actuating medium.

In applying the present invention to reservoirs of polygonal ground planthe advan- -with safety. This objection tage is derived that the sealinmembers 3 may be maintained of prismatlc, relatively cyllndrlcal form.In order to secure an effective seal at the vertically extending cornersor angles of such polygonal reservoirs, wedge or pyramid shaped sealingelements may be introduced at these edges or angles between the ends ofthe adjacent prismatic sealing members hereinbefore described to securea substantially continuous outer sealing surface in engagement with allportions of the inner surface of the reservoir. Sevoral examples of sucharrangement are shown in Figs. 17 and 18 in which the reservoir wall isconstructed either of straight, or arched plates w as in Fig. 10 andsealing members 7 similar to the members y, or y are located betweensaid wall and the closure I) as herein previously set forth. Between theends of each adjacent, pair of members 3 at the vertical angles orcorners of the reservoir a wedge shaped or pyramid shaped element y isintroduced as shown in Fig. 18, thus securing an effective seal at thesepoints. With the employment of arched plates in the construction of thereservoir, such wedge or pyramid shaped intermediate elements may alsobe employed not only at said angles, but also at other points of thearched plates for instance at the center.

It will of course be understood that any of the described forms andarrangements of fluid seals ma be included in the structures shown inigs. 14, 15 and 16 and also,

adapted tothe various forms of reservoirs and closures.

Aside from the advantages so far recited herein the present inventlonhas the still further advantage that a heating of the sealing fluid toprevent freezing or congealing thereof is unnecessary, for the reasonthat with the small volume or quantity of sealing-fluid whichdifferentiates the present improvement from the fluid seals now in use,a fluid having a low freezing point may be used with the result that theusual heating apparatus may in consequence be omitted.

In addition to this with reservoirs as at present constructed andutilizing fluid seals the objection is present that in making repairs tothe water basin or in the interior of the reservoir it is necessary tofirst completely drain off the basin water which durmg use becomessaturated with poisonous gases and then thoroughly rinse the interior ofthe reservoir with fresh water and with fresh air before said repairscan be made is entirely avoided in the present construction. thermoreby'reducing the volume of sealin fluid to a minimum the foundation another parts of the structure are relieved revenue v ttl from excessivepressure whereby the cost of construction and maintenance is mate-Various changes in the specific forms shown and described may be madewithin the scope ofthe claims without departing from the spirit of myinvention,

llclaim:

1. The combination of a reservoir, a closure slidable along the innersurfacethereof anda fluid seal in said reservoir having no eflecti-veportion below the sealing point whereby the joint is sealed between saidclosure and said inner surface.

E2. The combination of a reservoiiya closure movable therein and a fluidsealing medium carried entirely by said closure and having no effectiveportion below thev sealing point, said sealing medium engaging the innersurface of said reservoir whereby the joint between said closureandsaidinby said trough and engagin "the inner sur,

ltd

ner" surface is sealed.

.3. The combination of a reservoir, a closure movable therein, anannular, peripheral trough carried by said closureand slidable along theinner surface of said reservoir, and a fluid sealing medium carriedentirely face of said reservoir where ythe jointbetween said closure andsa d inner surface is sealed.

4E. The combination of a reservoir,'a closure slidable along the innersurface thereof, a fluid sealing medium carried entirely by said closureand engaging said inner surface and means for collecting the fluid mesdium which trickles through the'space 'between the ,closure and saidinner surface below the sealing point. i

5. The combination of a reservoir, a closure slidable along the innersurface thereof, a fluid sealing medium carried entirely by said closureand engaging said inner surface, a collecting channel located at thebottom of said reservoir for collecting the fluid medium which tricklesthrough the space between the closure and said inner surface and anoutlet leading'from said collecting channel. -6. The'combination of areservoir, a closure slidable along the inner surface thereer, a fluidsealing medium carried "b said closure and engaging said inner sur' ace,a collecting channel located in said reservoir for collecting the fluidmedium which trickles through the space between the closure and saidinner surface and means for f returning said collected fluid medium tosaid closure to form a seal when the closure channel.

' L 7. The combinat on of a reservo1r,a'closure movabletherein, anannular peripheral trough carried by said closure and slidable along'theinner surface of said reservoir, a fluid sealing medium in said troughand engaging said inner surface, a collecting channel, located in saidreservoir for collecting the fluid medium which trickles through thespace between said trough and said inner surface and, a pump forreturning said col-- lected fluid medium to said trough,

r 8. The combination of a reservoir,'a clo' sure slidable along theinner surface thereof,

. a fluid sealing medium carried entirely by said closure and engagingsaid inner surface, an annular collecting channel at the bottom of saidreservoir for collecting the fluid medium which trickles throuh thespace between said closure and s'ai inner surface and an annular flangedepending.

from saidclosure and adapted to extend into the fluid medium in: saidcollecting channel lower position. 3 I, I

9. The combination of a reservoir, a closure slidable along" the innersurfacethereof,

is in its a fluid-seal located between said closure and r:

said inner surfacean'd guide rollers carried by said closure andtraveling lengthwise of the reservoir wall.

retarding the trickling of said fluid seal through'said joint: I

'11; Thecoinbi-nation of a reservoir, a closure movable therein, anvannular peripheral xtrough carried bysaid closure and slidable alongthe inner surface of said reservoir,

circumferential sealing strips carried bysaid trough and engagingvsaidinner surface and I a fluid sealing" medium in said trough and j in, ire

face and a fluid sealing medium located be-. tween said closure and saidinner surface and above said sealing member. i v

l3. Thecombination of'a reservoir, a clo- 10. The combination of areservoir,=a clo Y sure slidable along the inner surface thereof, afluid seal carried entirely by said closure whereby the joint betweensaid closure and said inner surface is sealed and means for sealingmember located between said in; clined peripheral surface'and said innersurico sure movable therein, the inner surfaceof said closure forming anannular channel wedge-shaped in cross-section, a sealing membervertically slidable in said channel and a fluid sealing medium locatedin said said reservoir and the peripheral surface of i,

14. The combination of a reservoir, a closure movable therein, the innersurface of said closure forming an annular channel wedge-shaped incrosssection, a sealing member of approximately wedge shape incross-section located in said channel and a fluid sealing medium in saidchannel.

15. The combination of a reservoir a closure movable therein, the innersurface of said reservoir and the peripheral surface of said closureforming an annular channel wedge-shaped in cross-section, a sealingmember of a proximately wedge-shape in cross-section lbcated in saidchannel, said member being provided with grooves extendingcircumferentially thereof and with upwardly open channels communicatingtherewith and a fluid sealing medium in said wedge-shaped channeladapted to flow through said upwardly open channels into Said grooves.

16. The combination of a' reservoir, a closure movable therein, theinner surface of said reservoir and the peripheral surface of saidclosure forming an annular channel wedge-shaped. in cross-section, atrough-' like sealing member of approximately wedge-shape incross-section located insaid channel and afluid sealing medium in saidchannel and in said sealing member.

17. The combination of a. reservoir a closure movable therein, the innersurface of said reservoir and the peripheral surface of said closureforming an annular channel wedge-shaped in cross-section, a trough-likesealing member of approximately 'wedgeshape in cross-section located insaid chan-.

nel, sealing strips extending circumferentially'of said sealing memberand a fluid sealing medium in said channel and in said sealing member. Ii

18. The combination of a reservoir comprising a series of telescopicsections, annular troughs at one end of said sections, a fluid sealingmedium in said trou hs engaging the inner surfaces of said sections,hookshaped flanges at the other ends of said sections adapted to extendin to the fluid medium in said troughs when the sections are fullyextended, a closure movable in the inner section, an annular, troughcarried by said closure and slidable along'the inner surface of saidinner section, a fluid sealing 'medium in said closure trough engagingsaid inner surface and a hook-shaped flange ,on said inner sectionadapted to extend'into the sealing fluid in said closure trough in theraised position of said closure.

19. The combination of a reservoir composed of a pluralit of plates,outwardly extending. horizonta flanges on said plates I adapted to besecured together for connecting said plates and for stiffening same,vertical extending connecting members, rails extending lengthwise ofsaid members, means securing said rails, members and plates together, aclosure slidable along the inner surface of said reservoir, a fluid sealcarried by said closure and engaging said inner surface and guiderollers carried by said closure and arranged to travel along said rails.

20. The combination of a closure, a reservoir wall surrounding saidclosure and means for raising and lowering said closure whereby thelatter may be temporarily used as a working scaffold during the erectionof the reservoir. I

21. The combination of a closure, a reservoir Wall surrounding saidclosure, means for raising and lowering said closure whereby the lattermay be temporarily used as a working scaffold during the erection of thereservoir and means for guiding said closure in its movements.

22. The combination of a polygonal reservoir, a closure movable therein,an annular peripheral trough carried by said closure and slidablelengthwise of the inner surfaces of said reservoir, a series of sealingmembers in said trough in engagement with the inner surfaces of saidpolygonal reser- 'voir, wedge or pyramid shaped members in said troughin engagement with said inner surface, insert members adapted to beinserted between the ends of adjacent sealing members whereby asubstantially continuous outer sealing surface in engagement with saidinner-reservoir surface is secured and a fluid sealing medium in saidtrough in engagement w1th said inner surface.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set m hand in the presence oftwosubscribing witnesses.

KONRAD J A'GSOHITZ.

Witnesses;

z JEAN GRUND, CARL GRUND.

